Hope against all hopes
by RedHatMeg
Summary: Doctor Henry Allen was robbed of everything - his freedom, his reputation and the love of his life. But he wasn't robbed of hope.


**Just felt the need to dwell into Henry Allen's situation. I love the relations between Barry and both of his fathers, but Henry doesn't have much fics about himself.**

**Also this story contains one of my headcanons. Can you guess what headcanon is that?**

**Hope against all hope**

It was safe to assume that doctor Henry Allen lost all hope as to whenever he will regain his freedom. He could have hoped for it fourteen years ago, when people were actually working at his case, when he had a lawyer and could at least defend himself from accusations… and even then hardly anyone believed in his innocence. Henry realized quickly that the circle of red-yellow wind, which was the real cause of Nora's death, wasn't the best line of defense. Not only it sounded ridiculous, but there was no proof that it ever happened. Because how could you prove something like that? Henry himself had hard time believe in yellow tornado of lightning in his living room. And he _saw_ it!

Frankly, he wasn't the only one…

And so nobody believed him. For his neighbors, patients, people from his hospital and fellow parents Henry Allen became a Monster – a man, who ruthlessly killed his wife in front of his eleven year old son and probably even threatened him that if he won't repeat "the lie" about the yellow wind, his own father will kill him. Just like he killed his mother. Hell, the doctor actually _believed_ in his own lie, so he might have been insane! Nevertheless, from now on Henry was spat on, covered in mud by both press and individual citizens of Central City. One of the most painful things about his situation were the looks on the faces of his former friends – the looks of absolute disgust and despise on faces of people he grew to know. He still remembered the interrogation on the police station… Joe – the man, with whom he was frequently talking about their children, when Barry and Iris played on the swings – gave him this look too. And in that very moment those round, brown eyes that always seemed to express only care and kindness, were cold.

In one night the whole city turned against doctor Allen. When he was found guilty of Nora's murder, the people were convinced that it was a triumph of justice.

Thankfully, not everybody…

That fateful night Henry lost everything. His reputation, his freedom, but most of all the love of his life – Nora. He lost her in the most heartbreaking and mind-blowing way possible – by a thing he couldn't even understand. He tried so hard to save her, even though there was a knife in her chest and somewhere in the back of his head he knew it all was hopeless. But he _had to_ try. He wouldn't forgive himself, if he didn't try. And ironically, while trying to save his wife, he gave the prosecution another evidence – his fingerprints on the weapon of murder. Still, how could he predict it, when he was focused on not losing the woman he loved?

And he still could see in his dreams Nora's pale face with expression of fear. This face was going to haunt him for the rest of his days. The fact that he couldn't save her; the fact that he was seeing her dying; the fact that everybody thought Henry was capable of killing the love of his life… All those facts were adding more misery to his already hopeless situation.

Luckily, there was one person, who believed that Henry could never, in million years and more, kill Nora…

So there he was – spending his life in prison, doing the same things day by day, year by year, in the darkness of Iron Heights; surrounded by robbers, smugglers, rapists and murderers. There were even few pedophiles and, frankly, they were more ostracized than most of the prisoners (but still he had chills while watching them… in moments like these he kept imagining the horrible scenarios with Barry and child predators as main characters). Probably some of criminals there were just as innocent as he was. Probably some of them were actually unlucky – they got themselves in the wrong crowd or showed up in the wrong place, at wrong time. Nevertheless, the other prisoners were as guilty as they could be. They let you know that you were on their playground and had to be either strong enough to impress them, or quiet enough to work for them. Some people seemed to be beyond redemption.

For him, there was no hope in prison. No hope for better future. No hope for freedom. No hope for happiness or cleaning his name. His situation seemed to be the most hopeless situation in the whole universe.

But when he was sitting in his small cell, staring at the dark green ceiling, thinking about his misery… that was always the moment, when the hope was actually coming to him. That one person, who always believed in his innocence. That one person, who knew, he couldn't do any harm to Nora, because he loved her with all his heart. That one person, who belonged to the outside world. A world where walls are colorful and where people lived normally.

Barry. His son. His pride and joy. His greatest treasure…

Always coming with a smile and eyes filled with love. Somehow, someway Barry remained this sweet, goodhearted and smart kid as fourteen years ago, while still graduating from elementary school, high school and college, and getting a job in law enforcement as forensic scientist. When Henry was observing his grown-up son, he couldn't help but be thankful that at least Barry could enjoy some normality after the nightmare he went through. Doctor Allen could stand the lifetime of disgrace and imprisonment, if only Barry will be safe, sound and happy. And it seemed that Joe West was taking care of Barry the best way imaginable.

There was a time when Henry didn't want Barry to see him in prison. Henry didn't want his son to see him in handcuffs and prison jumpsuit. It was because this view would be so pathetic that little Barry could fall into pieces or even give his father the same look other people were giving him. After all, the kid had to live with stigma of being the child of murderer. Henry could only imagine the cruel jeers or ostracism little Barry had to deal with in school. Not to mention that he had lost his beloved mother. That's a lot of tragedies for one child.

Nevertheless, part of Henry longed to hold his son tightly. And soon Barry managed to finally get to the Iron Heights and somehow make the warden arrange the meeting with his father. The moment when his boy ran towards him with open arms, only to be told by guard that physical contact is forbidden, was like a hit in the gut. Oh, right. He was a murderer, who took a mother from a little child. He could hurt the boy as well he had hurt Nora. And the son of a bitch sure as hell shouldn't be allowed to touch the kid…

To Henry's surprise, Barry didn't give him look that would indicate any kind of embarrassment or hatred. It was clear that he didn't feel ashamed to see his father in handcuffs. He would probably be perfectly happy to see Henry, if it wasn't for the fact that the kid was pissed at Joe for not letting him to prison. Henry immediately explained that he explicitly told Joe to do it, and why. He wanted Barry to see Joe as a friend and a guardian. Once when it seemed that the boy realized it, his father had been taken back to his cell.

This visit actually made Henry longing for more. He was actually longing for Barry to come back. There was so much things he wanted to ask his boy. How was school? Was he eating properly? Was he a good boy or do he caused Joe some troubles? And even though, his mind was reminding him that it would be better for Barry to live his life normally, forgetting about his doomed father, Henry wanted him to come back. And soon he did come back. Because Joe decided that forbidding a child meetings with his father was stupid thing to do on Henry's part. Guess, Joe thought that even murderers deserved to be visited by loved ones.

So from this day forward, Barry was visiting his father, talking with him on his life and sometimes even bringing gifts, such as science magazines, holiday cards and photos. Those visits were the spot of light in his gray and miserable existence. No matter how hard was life in Iron Heights, the view of his son always brought smile on Henry's face. There was a hope against all hope – his son being healthy and loved as he deserved. At least one of them should came back from this tragedy victorious.

It was their time. They were sitting face to face, looking each other in the eyes and studying each other's features. Through the glass of window in the meeting room Henry observed how his boy was growing up to be a man he was now. He graduated from university and was now helping police solving cases by incorporating his brilliant mind.

And sometimes Henry was realizing that he was robbed of another thing. He couldn't teach his boy how to drive a car or flirt with girls. He couldn't be at his graduation. He couldn't even _hug_ him, even though he wanted it so much through all those years. He couldn't be the father Barry needed. The walls of Iron Heights and the glass window were successfully preventing him from being there for his boy.

Thankfully, Joe was a magnificent adoptive father. Henry was grateful for him, honestly. The fact that Barry grew out to be the way he was now, was Joe's doing, and really, the policeman was treating him like his own child. However, sometimes Henry couldn't help but feel the pang of sadness and… jealousy. Because Joe had what Henry couldn't have – he could be Barry's father and be a part of his life. Sometimes Henry felt like Joe was stealing something from him and he feared the day when his own son forget him, because he had a new, better father.

But Barry himself was assuring him, on and on, that he loves him and is proud of being his son. And when he was doing that, all of Henry's concerns were fading away. However, there was one thing that bothered Henry about Barry. The boy so desperately wanted to solve the case of Nora's death and take Henry out of prison that he took an interest in weird, impossible cases that couldn't be explained. Because of that he was considered by many as a weirdo. Henry couldn't help, but be concerned about his son. He wanted Barry to go on with his life, find a nice girl, have kids, make a career and live happily ever after. If he become obsessed with this one case; if he let the past dominate his life, then he will never be happy.

However, there was some part of Henry, some tiny little bit of him, which actually hoped that Barry's efforts won't go to waste; that one day the kid will find the proof needed to bring justice for his father. Doctor Allen found himself dreaming about the day, when he will go out of this horrid place, his good name restored in public eye and the opportunity to finally hug his son returned to him. But he knew it was a hope against all hopes. Because how could you prove something so peculiar? Especially being a one, lonely kid, who nobody believed? Barry was very smart and very skillful forensic scientist, but he already was considered weirdo, a harmless, but still weirdo, chasing aliens and conspiracy theories. This was hurting for his credibility and honestly, which jury will take him seriously? He had to have the proof that couldn't be shaken. A proof that could convince even the biggest skeptics. And what was the probability of it?

Henry got used to the thought that he will spend rest of his life in prison, for crime he didn't commit.

And so the time was passing. Barry was coming, bringing light and hope to his imprisoned father. Henry was always waiting eagerly for those visits. After all those years he always expected to see Barry somewhere at the end of the week. So he was slowly counting down the days left to the next visit.

But one day, in the evening, he got another unexpected guest. For the first time since that fateful interrogation the one, who wanted speak with him was not Barry, but detective Joe West himself. The first thought that came to Henry's mind was that something bad happened to Barry. But no – Joe said that his son was fine. And Henry felt relieved. Still, if the detective didn't come because of Barry, then why?

"And to what do I owe this visit?" Henry asked. He actually didn't know what to expect, but he felt how the old feeling of betrayal was coming back to him.

"I know I should have go to see you sooner." Everything about Joe was apologetic – the tone of his voice, the look in his eyes…

"Just weren't up for little chit-chat with man, who murdered his wife in front of his son?" The bitterness was coming with the new wave and Henry felt the urge to voice his anger.

"Except I know you didn't kill your wife."

Well, that was unexpected.

"The new evidence has come to light. I… can't go into details. It's just… Look, important thing is… I'm reopening the case."

Henry was watching him, dumbfounded, not knowing what to think. For a moment he actually wondered if this is some kind of hallucination or a dream.

"I'm gonna find out, who really killed Nora and I promise you, Henry, I'm gonna get you out of here." A short pause during which Henry could actually read sadness and determination in Joe's eyes. He really meant it. Just like he meant his next words: "I am so sorry."

And so the hope came back. The hope against all hopes that maybe, just maybe… there will be justice for him after all. But then again – how would two guys prove the wind of yellow lightning stabbing people in the chest? But the fact was that Barry wasn't alone with his investigation. And Joe was a good investigator.

The confession made all of Henry's anger go away. Now, when Joe was actually here, ready to reopen his case and bring justice, Henry could feel nothing but a gratitude towards the man. For all the things he did for Barry.

"Doesn't matter that you didn't believe me" Henry began. "because you always believed in my son."

Before they said anything else the weird, green smoke entered the meeting room and suffocated the guard. Then the smoke changed into a man and started to suffocate Joe. Henry watched in horror how the mysterious man wanted to kill the detective… But then another weird thing happened. A man in red suit entered the meeting room with the speed of light and turning the attacker's attention on himself. Said attacker turned into smoke again and escaped, leaving unconscious Joe behind. The speedster didn't come after him. Instead he leaned over Joe and injected something into him. And somehow Henry knew that it was an antidote.

For a moment… for a one, quick moment Henry and Joe's rescuer were looking at each other. There was something familiar in that man… Something familiar indeed… Although, Henry couldn't put his finger on it, somewhere in the back of his head, he knew.

Nevertheless, when the man in red suit left the meeting room to chase down the bad guy, Henry was actually left with new hope.


End file.
